Correction: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect singles ranking for Madison Brengle.

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y.— For the second year in a row, Madison Brengle’s body let her down at the U.S. Open.

The Dover native struggled Wednesday night on the same court where she had to retire last year in a first-round match with injury; this year it was a severely bruised ring finger caused by a cut suffered in practice Tuesday that affected her in a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.

“It was just a small little cut that I got while hitting, and then it got infected and it woke up looking like this,” Brengle said after the match. “It looks a little like “The Walking Dead” or something. It’s just disappointing.”

It’s been a difficult two years, injury-wise, at the Open for Brengle. Entering the tournament ranked No. 81 in singles, she had been dealing with a sore right-hand thanks to some cysts that were removed last week, but she said that felt fine out on Court 4.

But against Flipkens, ranked 73rd, Brengle said the damaged digit wouldn’t let her hit the ball like she wanted to.

“I could swing across my body, but she slices really well so it was hard for me to get under the ball like I normally would,” Brengle said. “She’s a very good player, and by the time I was able to get my timing down it was too late.”

Last year at the Open Brengle was forced to retire early in the second set in the first round against fellow American Kayla Day when a reaction to a drug test she was given before the tournament caused her immense pain in her right arm, causing it to swell and making it almost impossible for her to hold a racket. (Brengle said she couldn’t discuss the situation that occurred last year due to pending litigation.)i

Flipkens, who has beaten Brengle all three times they played, got off to a strong start, taking advantage of Brengle’s slower-than-normal pace on her serve and groundstrokes to break the Delawarean twice in the opening set.

Down love-3 in the second set, Brengle began to get her groove, winning three straight games while breaking Flipkens twice to level the set at 3.

“I think I got the timing down a little better,” Brengle said. “I felt like I wasn’t being very aggressive, and when I tried to I was swinging on the wrong plane a little. “Her ball stays quite low, so I feel like I was shanking so much when I was trying to be aggressive in the first set, and then I started to adjust to where I needed to play, and I feel like that helped but it was too late.”

At 3-all in the second set Brengle was serving at 40-15 to take her first edge in the match, but Flipkens notched five straight points, getting the break of serve on a Brengle backhand that sailed long.

A few minutes later it was all over and Brengle was left to look forward to the doubles draw, where she’ll partner with Varvara Lepchenko Thursday to face the Spanish team of Lara Arrubarrena and Arantxa Parra Santonja.

“She beat me fair and square it’s just disappointing to not be able to be at my best,” Brengle said. “But hopefully it (the finger) will get better quickly.”